New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-08-04
FIFTH AVENUE ALL TORN up.
PEOPLE DESPAIR OF USING 1T AGAIN.
CONTRACTOR BAIRD's DILAroRY MOVEMENTS MAD.
ISON SQUARE DIsFIGuRED

COA IL DA1SA AVA TX OCiNo ~ AVIAN.
CONTRACTOR BArRD's DDAroRY MovEMExrs-MAp.
IsoN SQUARE DIsFIGURED,
Fifth Avenue for fifteen twenty blocks above Fifty.
ninthst has boon closed 90 long by Contractor Basrxs
paving operations that the people mp way are be-
ginning TO despair Of seeing the present state Of
siege raised The big piles Of pavuebocks stood
untouched the edge OF the sidewalk till the grass
sprouing up the shady crevices between the stone
and the TALL rank weeds running over them uxuri-
anty. This gives the pleasant summer look Of
course. reminds of shady street In Philadephs
where grassned pavements matter Of some munic
ipal pride But the people who live along the avenue
thinks that the tnrf In the Park across the way good
enough for all practical pastoral effects The piles Of
blocks themselves unsighty nuisance. spreading
half the sidewalk and seriously obstructng travel
Then too tho bed Of the has been dug out for
foot and filled In in spots only with sand gravel
The grass weeds spreading out it from
gutters carrage-way has been closed for long
that an enterprsng York farmer might have raised
crop hayseed 1t by this tire he had started in
early.
The avenue between Fifty ninth and Seventeen Sta
has had the hardest kind OF luck at Contractor Bards
hands. Ground was broken for tho new pavement
the spring Of 1885. little work done below the
Park where there cobbe-stone driveway already
Then the long stretch Of macadamzed pavement from
Fifty nnth-st Nnetieth-st. attacked. Several
blocks torn up ct both ends Then work was
stopped and the bulk Of tho old paving was left as IL
was OF mud holes and breakers. 80 the street
dustier that ever dry weather and muddisr than
In wet weather All through 1885 and part OF 1881
Improvement made. 1t was almost unsafe to
drive the old blocks after night for fear OF breaking
the carriage springs Even In daytime no turnouu
but the stout Fifth-avc. coaches could venture
of walk The people living in tho
avenue north Of Fifty .ninthst had to the Park
drives chiefly their down town and back and the
Park drives made rather inconvenient and crcuitous
Early In 1887 after the lower part OF the avenue
had pretty thoroughly paved work was taken up
again on the upper hall The old macadamized surface
dug and Contractor Bairds paving after
due inspection, piled along the sidewalks. The
piles nearest Sixty nnthst have been standing there all
through the spring and summer. The pavement was
laid from Ninotiethst in instead Of from Fifty ninthst
out rather the work. though begun at both ends was
pushed faster at the point where new pavement wa
needed less.
from Ninerethst ia seventieth-st. and from
Fifty ninth-st. out Sixtyfourth-st. The al
work the section In front OF the Lcnox Library
and some preparations are being made TO put down
more blocks between Sixty-fourth and Sixtynfta SITS
Even Contractor Bards eIertions, like the dog-days
must sort Of limit and the sufferers along
tho avenue may be able to get some consolation out Of
the fac, that both will come 70 an an end nothing unen
Mr. Bairds contract was to run Tor 800 days ana
1 SpSaS out Until aqnd nss. and p1n' The
paving job Tho time during which work wa:
squire's exit from the Commissionership OF Public
Works will also have TO be deducted SO the contractor
win 1s and
SITS asd two blocks between Twenty and twenty
General Newton said yesterday that would have to
work lot OF figures to how much time Contractor
work would all done before the contract ran out
The paving has been inspected rigdiy said the Com
missioner, % and satisfied that the work Is up
the demands Of the contract II takes long time OF
course finish big work like that We snail probably
hvuifh ~ in than tN0 re-
the subway conduts up Broadway from the sane poin
F Fif,snVe Broadway and twenyrnrds are al
bloc ked to extent the stage line having TO make
s ss on
slow and uncertain Broadway car was throw
Sn an' Of the subway commission aud il
took hour TO get IL out again The passagewal
on the side OF Madison square have had to put VI
with indifferent cab service lately
coal gas and the unpleasant odor hangs like fog over
Madison Square Many complaints OF nausea and III
and certainly to sensitive nostrs the smell is trying
Opinions differ as to whether the escaping fud I.
nSs oas w coal
Ing from the pipes and N, mains ha a that az
and consequently there serious fear of malaria
No cases OF illness have been reported Tar from tho
ceris in the shops near by have complained Of nausea
aud loss OF appetite however, blaming ooth on the gas
closed yesterday and work on the conduit! is creeping
further up Bro dway The junction OF The three streets
General Newton sad yesterday that he did not know
whether the conduit construction company had torD up
tue street than the law allowed or not but thai
he would have report made 10y Of the inspectors
%. think that the bad odor will create disease
themselves long ago. Tor the streets have been up
this way time 10 time all over town. The recent
of the gas odor II there is any remedy
the nuisance, we shall try to apply It."